Fountain brush



I 7 1,501,089 J. F. ANDREWS FOUNTAIN BRUSH Jul 15, 1924.-

Filed April 6. 1923 Patented July 15, 1924.

JOSEPH F. ANDREWS, OF MEMIEHIS, TENNESSEE. I

FOUNTAIN BRUSH.

Application filed April 6, 1923. Serial No. 630,254.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, JOSEPH F. ANDREWS a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Memphis, county of Shelby, and State ofTennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FountainBrushes; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to fountain brushes,

and more particularly to fountain: 0r reservoir hair brushes adapted tocontain a medium for the treatment of the hair or scalp. Morespecifically the invention relates to means whereby the liquid orsemiliquid medium contained in the reservoir of the brush may beautomatically expelled from said reservoir and delivered upon the hairof the user, by the mere act of pressing the brush upon the hair duringthe customary brushing operation.

The object of the invention resides in the provision of such a brush asdescribed, adapted to efliciently function as a brush, and, at the sametime, to automatically deliver the treating medium to the hair or scalp.

Other objects of the invention will be made apparent by the followingspecifications, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,forming a part thereof.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the reservo1r brush.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the brush, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken through the brush.

Now referring specifically to the drawings, the brush is here shown ascomposed of a circular ring 1, having an integral, peripheral flange 2,as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. A normally convex, flexible diaphragmmember 3 is seated on the flange 2, as indicated, and, as here shown, acap 4, having an outer screw-threaded periphery, is adapted to cooperatewith threads on the inner face of the ring 1, whereby said cap may bedetachably held in position.

The cap 4 and the diaphragm 3, form between them a reservoir for thereception of soap, hair-grease, hair tonic or any other treating medium5, desired by the user of the brush in the treatment of the hair orscalp.

Between the cap 4 and the edge of the diaphragm 3, is a disk or pad 6 ofabsorbent material, conforming to the curvature of thediaphragm 3 andadapted to absorb the fluid orsemi-fluid medium in the reservoir. Inaddition thereto, since the cap a is screwed down tightly upon the outeredge of thedisk 6, the latter operates as a seal to prevent the passageof the medium between the cap 4 and the ring 1.

Extending through the diaphragm 3 are a plurality of spaced bristlemembers 7 some or all of which are longitudinally channeled and adaptedto conduct the treating medium from the reservoir to the hair or head ofthe brush user. secured to the body 1 of the brush.

In the use of the brush, the cap 4, which is corrugated on its outeredge 9, as indicated, is removed, and the desired hair or scalp treatingmedium 5 is placed on the disk 6, and the cap 4 replaced in its closingposition. The brush is then applied to the hair or scalp of the user,the bristles 7 being rubbed along the hair or scalp more or less gently,depending upon the material of which the bristles are composed, and thecharacter of the medium 5, contained in the reservoir of the brush. Thepressure of the bristles upon the hair compresses the flexible diaphragm3 and thereby automatically forces the medium 5 through the intersticesof the absorbent disk 6 and into the channels of the bristles 7 to thehead of the user.

At all times the disk 6 is saturated with the medium 5. Backwardpressure against this disk through the bristles 7 obviously forces themedium into the channels of the bristles, simultaneously relieving thesaturation of the disk which immediately absorbs more of the medium inthe reservoir. When the pressure on the diaphragm 3 is relieved, itimmediately resumes its normal shape, and the outer face of the disk 6automatically absorbs any of the medium between such face and thereceiving end of the bristles. The provision and location of theabsorbing disk 6 prevents leakage of the medium into and through thebristles when the brush is not in use, as will be understood.

The body 1, and the bristles 7 may be made of any suitable material,such as hard or soft rubber, metal or wood, and it is, of

A handle 8 is course, unnecessary that the body and bristles bemade ofthe samematerial. Manifestly the bristles 7 must be made of sufficientrigidity so that pressure exerted thereby againstthe diaphragm maydepress the latter, to accomplish the desired purpose above set forth.The disk or pad 6 may also be of any absorbent, flexible material.

From the foregoing it will be obviousthat I have provided a compactbrushadapted to automatically deliver the treating medium to the hair orscalp over the hair.

While I have here shown and described the brush as adapted to contain amedium for treatment of the hair and scalp only, it will he clearlyobvious that the brush may be utilized in the treatmentof any portion ofthe body, a suitable medium being provided in each case. Obviously it isalso'well adapted to contain liquid soap, and for use as a shampoobrush.

Various modifications of the structure as the brush is rubbed hereindescribed and illustrated may be suggested to those skilled in the art,but my invention is to be understood to comprehend all such embodimentsas fall fairly within the scope of the appended claim.

I' claim A body provided with a reservoir adapted to contain a treatingmedium, including a cap detachably secured to said body and forming thetop closure for said reservoir, and a flexible, convex, apertureddiaphragm forming the bottom closure of said reservoir, an'absorbent padclamped between said cap and said diaphragm, and preventing passage ofthe medium between said cap and said body, and normally preventingpassage of the'medium through the apertures of said diaphragm, andlongitudinally channeled bristles secured to said diaphragm andcommunicating with the apertures therein, whereby pressure of saidbristles against said diaphragm may force said medium through thebristles, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPH F. ANDREWS.

